The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-06-09
Bows Of India.

our mousse, saw Dfaillllan DOWlnS |
down to q stone idol for we are sur
rounded by Hindoos-and after wor-
ship he poured water over it as an Of
fering, Just then little boy OF about
three years of age ran towards the al
tar and bowed to the idol, and the
Brahman having placed some of the Of |
fered water on the boys head, placed |
him on the altar and danced and |
walked round him several times.
Thus the boy was not only dedicated
to the idol, but also taught to worship
it, He was Brahma an boy,
2. But how different the state OF the
lower caste boys When in the coun-
try amongst the villages, | saw boys
of from FIVE to ten years of age driving
out the cattle to the pasture lands in
the early morning and bringing them
back at noon Again about o'clock
in the afternoon and at evening they
repeat the process. So these boys live
in the open air. They take then
meals twice n day-at noon and again
in the evening-but the rest of their
time they spend in play. For the
cattle know the grazing grounds, and
their tenders have nothing to do but
sit down in the shade of some one OF
the many majestic trees which adorn
the plains of India, and American boys
can easily guess how they spend their
time. Having no pocket-kniyes they
use their teeth to the sticks Of which
they wish to make this or that Their
suit of clothes is a solitary cloth round
the loins, and thus with vacant minds
and bodies, covered with ground-dust
they grow up to be men.
3. When the cattle go to water,
there in the tank-really small lake
are several other boys bathing.
Their heads are half shaven from the
forehead backwards. Over their Shout
der is a three-fold thread, indicating
that they belong to one of the higher
castles. Round their loins is a heavy
girdle of silver, indicating that they
belong to the goldsmith caste the
members of which are usually Kash-
etrias,-the ancient warriors. These
boys again live quite a different life
from either the Brahman or the herd
boys. They do not learn to read, but
sit with their father in the shop and
learn the trade from their youth. We
met their father on our way into the
country, He had been to another
goldsmith to ask for his four daughters
to be givin in marriage to these boys
He had been successful in getting the
promise Of three brides
The reason for his asking fou
daughters of one family is because
they do not marry out OF their owl
caste, and there are only few fami
lies in this part of India who ranl
so high. They are all devoted an(
bigoted Hindoos, and we have no
much hope of their conversion a
present.
4. As we walk around the villag
we observe a boy Of lighter complexion
than the rest, and he is attended by
servant. He wears cap with a gol,
band, and coat all glittering will
gold braid. His eyes are surrounde,
by dark circle, so that one Nigh
think he was blind if he did not know
that this is considerde quite an add
ton to natural good looks, and is tn
result of the application of surma,
dark ointment much used by the Hin
docs. He is carefully guarded by hi
tutor, and all his wishes are gratitiet
This is the son OF the owner of thi
and several other villages, who bear
the title of Talukdar, rank only mex
lower than of a prince. Thus guarde
and pampered he will grow up to de
spise the rest OF the villagers, an
probably to foolishly squander wealt
boarded through the oppression {
those who hire and till his lands,
5. And now we see something NOR
like the freedom of the West-th
village school. The boys who atten
this institution will someof them
content with following in their fail
er's steps. But the majority wi
enter government service in some CT
pacity or other, and thus contribut
to swell the ranks of class very fe'
in number, but which actually include
the thinking and energetic part of tn
millions of India. Western educatio
draws a line and marks off those VIII
receive it into class of men man
generations in advance of the mas
of their friends and fellow-country
men.
6. But we have yet one more elias
ofboys to notice, the sons of nativ
Christians, These not only receive
Western education, but are suppose
to have received Western religion
and hence to have severed themselvt
from the faith and sympathy of orth,
. dny HindnnS A nd trnn II IL thnt II,